Child Sex Trafficking - Recognize

Victims of child sex trafficking are often hiding in plain sight — held prisoner by fear, shame and the trauma bonds that their traffickers create to manipulate and control them. Many victims do not even realize that they are victims; they believe what their exploiters tell them — that they are willing partners in the abuses.

The hardest thing is that you are hidden in plain sight. We are not going to walk up and say "Please, help me."

CST survivor

CSTT strives to educate the public about the indicators of trafficking so that victims are identified earlier and more often by:

Raising awareness of child sex trafficking in all of its forms — exploitation by pimps, gangs, families and buyers;

Working with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and other child-serving agencies to implement the Commercial Sexual Exploitation - Identification Tool (CSE-IT) statewide to identify victims and inform intervention and prevention strategies;

Ensuring that victims are recognized as victims and not perpetrators. There is no such thing as a child prostitute and all exploited children must be recognized and treated with trauma-informed responses that are protective and empowering, not punitive.

Be the One

Be the One in the Fight Against Human Trafficking is a training video from the Office of the Attorney General. This film uses actual cases prosecuted in Texas to educate viewers about the realities of this heinous crime and equip them with the tools to recognize red flags and respond appropriately.

Knowing that every Texan has the ability to “be the one” to help another person escape from trafficking, Governor Abbott requires all employees in his office to view this video and has challenged all state agencies to do the same.

Resources

Programs Supported by Grants from the Office of the Governor

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children: The Texas Regional Office of NCMEC provides customized conferences and workshops around the state for law enforcement, juvenile justice personnel, and child welfare system stakeholders about identifying and responding to sexual exploitation of children, including child sex trafficking and internet-related dangers.

United Against Human Trafficking: UAHT trains frontline professionals to identify victims of human trafficking and intervene appropriately. The organization also utilizes grant funds to conduct direct outreach with vulnerable populations such as homeless youth and young adults, juveniles and adults with a history of criminal justice involvement, and those in the child welfare system in order to prevent exploitation, identify current victims, and connect individuals with resources in the Houston area.